Firefighters are tackling a wildfire near Inverness that burned throughout the night and reportedly stretches for more than a mile. Six fire engines were sent to the village of Daviot in the Highlands after the fire broke out on Saturday afternoon.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has told people nearby to stay indoors and to close all windows and doors to prevent smoke inhalation. Evacuated residents have been told not to return yet.
A spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 2.45pm on Saturday 10 June to reports of a fire in the open at Daviot, south of Inverness. Operations control initially mobilised one fire appliance to the scene, increasing to six appliances and specialist resources.
“As of Sunday 11 June, three appliances and specialist resources remain on scene to make the area safe. No casualties have been reported.”
It is understood that hailstones and torrential rain in Inverness are helping firefighters tackle the blaze.
The service has extended a very high wildfire warning to 12 June as a result of a lack of rain, hot weather and little wind, which it said was the “perfect combination” for wildfires.
People are urged not to light fires in the countryside, to carefully dispose of cigarettes and to avoid leaving glass bottles strewn about, which can focus the sun’s rays and cause smouldering.
People in Inverness reported smelling smoke during the night on social media.
Duncan Macpherson, a Highland councillor for Inverness South, tweeted:
The #wildfire at Daviot south of #Inverness stretches over a mile long between Craggie and Moy and presents an almighty challenge for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to try and contain as the wind blows the flames further across the landscape! #SFRS pic.twitter.com/wYoSbZcgEP
— Duncan Macpherson (@dmacphers1) June 10, 2023
He also posted images showing a bright blaze and plumes of smoke extending over a long stretch of hillside bordering a lake.
The fire started near a caravan park at about 2.45pm on Saturday, which was the hottest day of the year so far in Scotland.
Much of the rest of the UK also recorded its hottest day of the year on Saturday, with temperatures reaching 32.2C in Chertsey, Surrey. They were also high on Sunday, although blue skies and sunshinewere interrupted by thundery showers in some places. A hot weather alert is in place for most of south and central England. On Sunday, temperatures in Inverness reached 24C.
The Daviot fire follows one near Cannich in the Highlands that lasted for four days after breaking out on 28 May. It is believed to be one of the largest ever in the UK. Firefighters said it had burned across about 30 square miles of land.
Another wildfire started on 6 June on the Campsie Fells north of Glasgow.
MSPs have urged the Scottish government to look into wildfire prevention beyond awareness campaigns, for example by restoring peatlands and managing the fuel load in vulnerable landscapes.
